and Peace to every Man that worketh good, tờ the Few first, and alfo to the Gentile. For there is no refpect of Perfons with God. Ver. 10, 11.

After all it must be confeffed, that we are wholly in the dark in this matter. And what I have faid, is not fo much to perfwade you that the Gentiles may be faved, (for that we have no certain warrant to determine) as to fhew you, that no Objection to the Juftice and Impartiality of God, can be deduced from his Conduct in relation to them. Which not only tendeth to vindicate his Honour, and to create in us a juft esteem of his infinite Perfections; not only restrains ús from paffing uncharitable Cenfures upon Our Fellow-Servants, or conceiving amifs of thofe immutable Rules, which God hath fixed to the exercife of his Mercy and Judg ment; but also teaches us that Salvation depends, not fo much upon any external Relation or Denomination, as upon the eternal Obligations of Righteoufnels and Holiness.

This was the Second Head proposed to be treated of; namely, the Conditions of the Divine Favour, expreffed in the latter part of the Text. But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him. The Favour of God is not now, as it feemed to be under the Jewish Difpenfation, annexed to a Family or a Nation, to external Badges and ritual Obfer vations; but to the more noble and univer fal Obligations of Fear and Righteoufnefs;

offe

offered and difpenfed unto all Men upon the fame Conditions; Conditions from which none can plead exemption, even although no Revelation had enforced them. They had then been Duties even without a Reward, but are now Conditions of a Reward: Which manifefteth the infinite Mercy and Goodness of God, which is also enhanced by the univerfality of it; for that in every Nation he that worketh Righteousnefs, is accepted by him,

For after all, the Title to a Reward must be grounded upon the Divine acceptance, not on any merit of the Work.

But the time will not permit me to Dif course farther of thefe things. I will only exhort you to make a just use of what you have already Learned, That God is no reSpecter of Perfons. This cannot but be a mighty encouragement to you to use your utmoft diligence to attain that Reward, which God hath rendered equally poffible to you, with those who are now the greatest Saints in Heaven; that whatever your Condition or Circumftances may be here below, God refpecteth not that in distribution of his Favour, but only what is in your own power. On the other fide, if you neglect thefe poffible, thefe eafie Conditions of fearing God, and working Righteousness; flatter not your felves with the thoughts of being exempted by any peculiar Favour from undergoing that univerfal Sentence of ConY 3

demnation,

demnation, which is indifferently pronounced against all Sinners. Which is also the conclufion drawn by St. Peter from this very confideration, Pet. i. 17. And if ye call on the Father, who without refpect of Perfons judg eth according to every Mans work, pafs the time of your Sojourning here in fear.

SERMON

3247

3883

SERMON XIII.

Preach'd on Eafter-Day, 1689, at Lambeth Chapel,

Coloff. III. I.

If ye then be risen with Christ, Jeek thofe things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right hand of God.

T

HE Refurrection of our Bleffed Saviour from the Dead hath by the Church, in all Ages, been defervedly celebrated with a greater Solemnity, than any other Festival whatsoever; as being inftituted in remembrance of the moft fignal Act of our Lord here on Earth, and the final Completion of our Redemption by it. Other Actions indeed prepared the Minds of his Followers to expect Salvation from him; but this alone gave them infallible affurance of the performance of it.

Till then they retained Doubts and Scru ples; were meanly inftructed in the Nature Y 4

of

of his Office, and Defign of his Coming; were confounded at his Ignominious Crucifixion; and began to fufpect that they had been mistaken in the Perfon of the Meffias. All their glorious hopes of a temporal Kingdom to be founded by their Lord and Mafter, were laid aside; and in a little time they began to doubt whether it were he, that should have redeemed Ifrael,

The Church then was not only dispersed but deftroyed; and none left who would own their Belief in a Crucified Saviour. The Apostles were fled: The Women prepared Spices for his Body now lying in the Grave, as not expecting it fhould rife again; and the Jews triumphed over his afflicted Difciples, as having defeated their Hopes, and overthrown their Pretences.

At this time, in this State of things, our Lord rofe from the Dead, and by his Refur rection demonftrated the Divinity of his Perfon, difpelled the Anxiety of his Difciples, and confounded his Enemies. By this he retrieved the loft Faith of his Followers, and put it beyond all poffibility of being fubject to any more Fluctuations. Hereby he not only gave the last and most infallible Confirmation to the truth of his Doctrine, by a Miracle unheard of in former Ages; but al established in Mankind, the glad affurance of a future Refurrection. He had before indeed promised it; but now gave an earneft of it in his own Perfon, and mani

fested